Kho — Roleplayer Guild

En Ríghacd Aentaithe ogus Diea ah-tug Ríghacd Seihdhara

The Duthchas Discusses Matters Relating to the Impending War; Tymhoris 10, 1910 (Tues 11 Jan, 1910)

Speaker - Rhig Ruaidhri of Clan Rhiglaird Esher

"Ye Much Honoured Lairds of our Sdarid hame, we are many of us gathered today to discuss this matter of war on the continent. There is no need for me to repeat in any great amount of detail what so many of us know already - the Grand Prince Wilem of Rotteburg has been slain in cold blood and the slumbering beast of war, awakening now once more, lumbers in his wake. 'Tis no mystery to any of us here today that the Kratorian consul at Isle Taobh-Amuigh has approached us seeking an alliance between our two peoples. Our diplomats have given no firm answer, but the consul has expressed a keen interest in receiving - at the very least - a written memorandum guaranteeing the neutrality of Sidara in the coming war. It has been made clear to the consul that it ill behoves the Cynghyrd of Foreign Affairs to make such drastic decisions without consulting with Her Grace and the Much Honoured Lairds of the Duthchas.

Along with that matter, there is the matter of the Cethosi at Taobh-Amuigh. They have similarly approached us with overtures of friendship, trade, and alliance. They have, it appears, managed to get rather far in the negotiation of a draft agreement. Our diplomats have been discussing it extensively with them and I have present with me here - I thank Her Grace for making it available to us - a copy of, what I am told, a fairly complete draft. I have arranged for copies to be made available to all ye Much Honoured Lairds, but in brief:
-It binds us to a firm military alliance with the Cethosis.
-It binds each party to refrain from concluding alliances with the enemies of either state, or entering into coalitions against the other.
-Both parties contract to respect one another's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to refrain from interfering in one another's internal affairs.
-Both parties are bound to provide one another with all economic assistance necessary to facilitate and accelerate one another's development and growth.
-Article VI of this treaty grants Cethosi citizens nearly complete freedom of movement in and out of Sidara, and vice vera - utterly unprecedented in the history of our nation. It allows citizens of either state to domicile themselves in either. I would request that each of Ye Much Honoured Lairds scrutinise that particular Article.
-The next Article calls for equal treatment in all matters financial.
-Article XII of this draft allows for the opening of Consulates in all major urban centres - that is to say, the Cethosi consulate will no longer be confined to Isle Taobh-Amuigh, but there will be many all over our nation. Consider this carefully, my Lairds.
-This draft also grants Cethos the status of most favoured nation in matters of importation, exportation, and transit.
-A number of Articles deal with an agreement to extradite persons who have committed a number of listed crimes.
-The treaty is to last ten years, and to continue indefinitely until one side gives notice of its termination a year in advance.

Copies have been distributed as I speak, Lairds, I would press you to read the Articles of this draft agreement very carefully.
In addition to this matter, the Cethosi have presented us with a most curious proposal. 'Tis no mystery that the Cethosi are quite the chummy chums with the boil that lies to our north."

[The speaker falls silent as members of the Duthchas begin to murmur angrily at the hint of a mention of Etresna. A number of Lairds beat at the ground with their feet, causing the earth of the great meeting circle to shake underfoot and rumble. Once their hostility towards Etresna has been satisfactorily displayed, the noise slowly dies down and the speaker continues.]

Speaker - Rhig Ruaidhri Uothaein of Clan Rhiglaird Esher

"Aye, all that and more. Now these Cethosi think to seal the rift that gapes between us and those black elves across the water. They think to resolve the dispute over the Nine Isles. They think to do so by having us compete with those beasts in fair and honest sporting bouts, similar to Lignsid. That's what they think. And they dare to think this even as our people on the sea bring back reports of strange movements and preparations by their naval forces just east of our hame - and not small movements, mind you. They are clearly preparing for some kind of offensive - and sure as a full moon on a cloudless night it's neither against the Krators nor the Gynurks. Make of it what ye well me Lairds, but curse me if there isn't something fishy about it all."

Speaker - Chief Gealle-Chriosid Gealle-Meargie of Clan Guinn

"I thank His Grace for his succinct summing up of the situation on the continent. The continental powers, it would appear, are set on war - and they would like to drag the proud Sdarid race into their shenanigans. The Krators and the Gynurks have been here a-conquering before. They are no friends of ours. The miserable Etrans came a-conquering not five decades back and today still occupy our ancestral and hallowed isles - proud Sdaric clansfolk even now suffer the humiliation of enslavement! They are certainly no friends of ours, gods eat their eyes. And these Cethosi - we of Clan Guinn know them well, we have traded with them afore. They haven't the grandest minds for trade, but they are a fearsome warrior people - on the sea they are in all ways unmatched. Their foes - they eat. Their dead - they bind to their vessels forever. And they are an imperialistic folk, no doubt of it - they have not opened up to the world more than two decades and already they have subjugated other lands and peoples. They are like the rest of them - they hope to use us and, in time, conquer our lands, slay our people, loot our wealth and prosperity. They are not - and ne'er can be - friends of ours!

I say we rip up that draft agreement - a disgraceful piece of work if ever one there was - and toss it into the sea. Tell the Krators and Cethosi alike to go off home and not bother us again with their squabbles. And as for competing for the Nine Isles - we'll not surrender our claim to so much as an inch of our lands, and we'll not abandon our kinfolk who remain defiantly there. When the time to war for them comes again, then - by the gods! - we'll fight!"

Speaker - Chief Aenric Soamus of Clan MgGrregah o' Galams-Stand

"The Much Honoured Laird Gealle-Chriosid's sentiment is no doubt shared by many of us here today - neither the Cethosfolk nor the Krators are to be counted on, and even if the pits of Braeniyn were unleashed on us I would not trust them with my back. Be that as it may, our great foe today is the Etran who, devoid of all honour and virtue as he is, continues to occupy our lands and people. My Lairds, if the Etrans invaded the pits of the ap Morig, I would at the very least make a favourable reference to Braeniyn in the Duthchas. 
I say we throw our lot in with the Krators - 'tis clear that we will not be left alone in this war. Even now the Cethosfolk mobilise their forces and bring them ever closer to our island hame. Their intentions could not be clearer and this so-called 'alliance' is patently little more than a diversion - something concocted in the scheming and plotting mind of an Etran to make us lower our guard, no doubt. 
The fact of the matter is that the Krators cannot fight us on the sea, they can never hope to threaten us - but the Cethosfolk and Etrans can and do. We Sdarid folk know well who our foes are - the time has come to put words aside and let our swords speak."

Speaker - Chief Dhomas Fiagh of Clan ap-Filigan

"Clan ap-Filigan has ne'er shied away from a fight for our lands and people - we fought the ap Morig, the ap Gynurks, we fought Krators, Vagdins, Etrans. We will fight again. But on one thing we have always been clear - foreigners cannot be trusted, and they certainly cannot be relied on to win back our hearth and home. And what's more - if we cannot, on our own, win back what is ours, then we are not worth are Sdarid hame or name. Our kinfolk on the Nine Isles have waited o'erlong for our coming - it's time we made our stand. Forget the continent and its squabbles, our vision should be on restoring our people, our lands, and our honour. Clan ap-Filigan is ready to give heart and soul as it has given heart and soul before. Let us once more live out our past glories, you will find that the fires of our battle furies are ready for a great bursting."

Speaker - Chief Somhairle Aenoich of Clan ap-Fhinnan

"In times such as these, my Lairds, it is good to abstain from anger and seek the wisdom often to be found in the calm consideration of a situation. The continental powers stand at the cusp of war, a war that will ravage their lands and people and condemn millions to Taech Ducyffel. The rivers of Taech Ducyffel will gush forth and flow crimson with the crime. Would we let it be written in history that the Sdaric race was a party to this great bloodletting? Would we let it be known that when the times of blood came the sons of Seihdhara were the first to leap in? It is of honour to die defending hearth and home, it is not of honour to cause others to do so.

Our lands were stolen by a cruel and merciless foe, this is true. It was our weakness that made that so. Now that our foe's back is turned and he deals with another threat - would you have us strike? Would you have it said of us - 'The Sdarids could ne'er win an honourable war, dishonour alone brought them victory'. I for one cannot stand that to be so. If the continental powers must fight, then let them fight - we have neither ox nor cow in this dispute. But if we have been approached by the Cethosfolk for trade, then let us consider it - our clan-companies trade with all bar the Etrans, we have no dispute or hostility with the Cethosfolk. 

Now the draft agreement is a somewhat sweeping document and, I fear, infringes greatly on clan rights. Neither I nor clan ap-Fhinnan can accept it as it stands. It will have to undergo significant amendations before it is even somewhat acceptable - this talk of alliance must be got rid of, for one. So too this matter of consulates and freedom of movement into our territories - the current arrangement which sees all foreigners confined to Isle Taobh-Amuigh is perfectly fine. It may also be prudent, seeing as Cethos will likely be following the Etrans into war, to put into place an article guaranteeing safe and free passage for our shipping to all nations, no matter the changes to Cethos' foreign relations. We would not want the Cethosfolk to attempt to prevent our shipping from making its way to Krator or Gynurk ports in the event of war."

Speaker - Chief Ruathan Muhrdhaenn of Clan Rosaec

"Lairds, you have heard the propositions given us by the Krators and Cethosis, and you have heard a variety of different views by the Much Honoured Lairds who spoke before me. Our people stand today before many diverging paths - the choice is, however, ultimately between our downfall and our prosperity. I do not say that the choices made here today can spell our destruction, but they can certainly lead us down the path of suffering and loss - as we were in suffering and loss for over a thousand years before the unification and liberation of our hame. I do not say that peace will protect us from this suffering - we must know when to stand and fight and when to bide our time. The question now is this: is this the time for us to fight or is it not? And if it is - then who are we to fight? And how are we to fight? For the fight is not always a martial one, the battle is waged on a multitude of fronts - the political, the economic, the diplomatic. 

I put it to you that Her Grace and the Priyetcyn have for long pursued a third way - freedom from the squabbles of the Krators and the Etrans. In pursuit of this, we made peace with the Vagdins though they were our bitterest foes - and even now continue to aid them and foster good relations with them in the hopes of one day establishing a firm military alliance. Even now we continue to reach out to the small powers of the world - this is for one reason and one reason alone my Liards: we believe that there is a Third Way. It is that which I believe we should get behind. Let us extract ourselves from the offers of the Krators and Cethosis. Let us maintain goodly relations with them, but not overly friendly. And let us forge firm friendships and alliances with those who, like us, seek to be free and secure from the foolish flames unleashed by the continental powers."

Speaker - Chief Chu-Mhaedha of Clan Aujvint o' th'Marshes

"My Lairds, I have had the opportunity to speak directly with some of the Cethosi diplomats on Isle Taobh-Amuigh, and the matter of the strange movements of their naval forces was touched upon. I was reassured in very strong terms that the Cethosi state has no intention whatsoever of attacking Sidara. The Cethosis diplomat I spoke to was in fact quite candid about the whole affair - the Cethosis seek the conquest (or reconquest, as he put it) of a large number of islands to our east that were lost to them during their wars with the Krators. The Cethosi have no pretensions to our territories and are certainly not preparing an invasion of our island hame as the Much Honoured Laird of Clan MgGrregah o' Galams-Stand suggested. We have never had any conflicts with the Cethosi and there is no reason to suspect that they are acting in bad faith. Opening up trade with- ah, yes of course. I am happy to give way to the Much Honoured Laird."

Speaker - Chief Aenric Soamus of Clan MgGrregah o' Galams-Stand

"My Laird, while the words of this Cethosi diplomat you spoke with do cast a new light on the situation, they do not change much. The Cethosfolk are little more than puppets of the Etrans. All that the Cethosfolk do and say is to be questioned, and it is perfectly reasonable to suspect - and, indeed, when the Etrans are involved, expect - foul play. An alliance with the ally of our foe is no alliance at all; and friendship with them would be a farce. In situations such as these ancient wisdom guides the way - if the enemy of our enemy is our friend, then the friend of our enemy is our enemy. The Krators and Gynurks are friends of ours today, the Etrans and the Cethosfolk our foes."

Speaker - Chief Chu-Mhaedha of Clan Aujvint o' th'Marshes

"I thank the Much Honoured Laird for his interjection. His words are fruit for thought even if I find myself in disagreement with the sentiment expressed. It is neither seemly nor goodly Sdarid practice to punish one nation for the crimes of another. The Cethosi people have never wronged us and only extend their hands to us in friendship - why then does the Much Honoured Laird call on us to extend our swords in enmity? If we will not repay friendship with friendship, then let us at the very least keep our peace and, as the Much Honoured Laird of Laird of Clan Rosaec put forth, pursue our Third Way."

[The Duthchas continues discussing the matters at hand for an hour more before the issues are put to the vote.]

On the Matter of ALLYING with the KRATORS - REJECTED
-- 18 FOR
-- 38 AGAINST
-- 9 ABSTAIN

On the MATTER of the DRAFT TREATY with the CETHOSFOLK - REJECTED
-- 12 FOR
-- 53 AGAINST
-- 0 ABSTAIN

On the MATTER of COMPETING in SPORTING EVENTS for the NINE ISLES - REJECTED
-- 23 FOR
-- 42 AGAINST
-- 0 ABSTAIN

TREATY 
of
FRIENDSHIP 
COMMERCE 
& 
ALLIANCE

Tym. 4, 1910 / Jan. 5, 1910

The Matra Prunaky of Cethos on the one hand, and the United and God-given Righachd of Sidara on the other–   
Desirous of strengthening the friendly relations that have heretofore existed between Cethos and Sidara, through an alliance and good neighbourly collaboration,  
Determined to assist each other in the struggle against aggression in a world fraught with danger, 
Expressing their unswerving aspiration to cooperate in the cause of maintaining peace and security for the benefit of the peoples of both countries  and of all the peace-loving nations if the world,

Have decided to conclude the present Treaty to this effect and appointed  as their Plenipotentiaries:  
Name and Titles of the Relevant Cethosi Representative to be Disclosed in the Official Draft
Her Grace's Cynghyrd of Foreign Affairs, Vercin Gator of Clan Laird-Aujvint

Who, after exchanging their Full Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed as follows:

Article I.

The HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES undertake to wage war against the enemy of either until final victory is won. The HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES undertake mutually to render to one another all necessary military and other assistance and support in such wars.
Subsection I.
Where such a situation exists that direct aid in a war proves impossible, the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES shall at once give to the CONTRACTING PARTY so involved in hostilities all the military and other support and assistance with the means in its power.

Article II.

The HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES undertake not to enter into separate negotiations with powers with which they are embroiled in a mutual war and not to conclude, without mutual consent, any armistice or peace treaty with them.

Article III.

Each HIGH CONTRACTING PARTY undertakes not to conclude any alliance and not to take any part in any coalition directed against the other HIGH CONTRACTING PARTY.

Article IV.

The HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, having regard to the interests of the security and economic development of each of them, agree to work together in close and friendly collaboration and to act according to the principles of mutual respect for their sovereignty and territorial integrity and of non-interference in the internal affairs of the other CONTRACTING PARTY.

Article V.

The HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES agree to render each other every possible economic assistance to facilitate and accelerate development and growth in both countries and to contributing to the cause of world prosperity.

Article VI.

The citizens of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES shall be admitted and treated upon a footing of reciprocal equality in the territories of both, where such admission and treatment shall not conflict with the regional customary or local state law of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES. The citizens of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, as well as the members of their families, subject to the customary and state laws aforementioned, and yielding obedience to the laws, regulations and customs of the territory of the CONTRACTING PARTY of their residence, shall be at liberty to come, go, sojourn temporarily, domiciliate, or establish themselves permanently, to acquire, possess, and alienate therein property (as explained in Article X); to manage their affairs, to exercise their profession, their industry and their commerce, to have establishments, to possess warehouses, to consign their products and their merchandise, and to sell them by wholesale or retail, either by themselves, or by such brokers or other agents as they may think proper; they shall have free access to Tribunals and shall be at liberty to prosecute and defend their rights before the relevant authorities, in the same manner as native citizens, either by themselves, or by such advocates, attorneys or other agents as they may think proper to select. No pecuniary or other more burdensome condition shall be imposed upon their residence or establishment, or upon the enjoyment of the above-mentioned rights than shall be imposed upon citizens of the country where they reside, nor any condition whatever, to which the latter shall not be subject.
Subsection I.
The foregoing privileges however shall neither extend to the exercise of political rights nor to a participation in the property of communities, corporations, or institutions of which the citizens of one CONTRACTING PARTY, established in the other, have not become members or co-proprietors.

Article VII.

The citizens of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, residing or established in either, shall be free from personal military service, but shall be liable to the pecuniary or material contributions which may be required, by way of compensation, from citizens of the country where they reside who are exempt from the said service.
Subsection I.
No higher impost, under whatever name, shall be exacted from the citizens of one of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, residing or established in either, than shall be levied upon citizens of the country in which they reside, nor any contribution whatsoever to which the latter shall not be liable.
Subsection II.
In case of war or of expropriation for purposes of public utility, the citizens of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES residing or established in either shall be placed upon an equal footing with the citizens of the CONTRACTING PARTY in which they reside, with respect to indemnities for damages they may have sustained.

Article VIII.

The citizens of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, residing or established in either, who shall desire to return to their country, or who shall be sent thither for legal reasons, shall be received at all times and under all circumstances – they, their spouses, and their issue – in the territory of the CONTRACTING PARTY to which they belong, and in which they shall have preserved their rights in conformity with the laws or customs thereof.

Article IX.

In order to establish their character as citizens of Sidara or as citizens of Cethos, persons belonging to the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES shall be bearers of passports, or of other papers in due form, certifying their nationality as well as that of the members of their family, furnished or authenticated by a Diplomatic or Consular Agent of their nation, residing in the territory of one of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES whose territory they wish to inhabit.

Article X.

The citizens of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES shall have power to dispose of their personal property, within the jurisdiction of the other, by sale, testament, donation, or in any other manner, and their heirs, whether by testament or ab intestate, or their successors, being citizens of the other PARTY, shall succeed to the said property or inherit it, and they may take possession thereof, either by themselves or by others acting for them; they may dispose of the same as they may think proper, paying no other charges than those to which the inhabitants of the country wherein the said property is situated shall be liable to pay in a similar case. In the absence of such heir, heirs, or other successors, the same care shall be taken by the authorities, for the preservation of the property, that would be taken for the preservation of the property of a native of the same country, until the lawful proprietor shall have had time to take measures for possession.

Article XI.

Any controversy that may arise among the claimants to the same succession, as to whom the property shall belong, shall be decided according to the laws and customs, and by the relevant authorities, of the territory of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTY in which the property is situated.

Article XII.

The HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES give to each other the privilege of having, each, in the large cities and important commercial places of their respective territories, Consuls and Vice-Consuls of their own appointment, who shall enjoy the same privileges and powers, in the discharge of their duties, as those of the most favoured nations. Consuls or Vice-Consuls so appointed shall be approved of by the Government and other relevant regional authority of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTY to which they are commissioned. 
Subsection I.
In their private and business transactions, Consuls and Vice-Consuls shall be submitted to the same laws and usages as private individuals, citizens of the territory of residence.
Subsection II.
It is hereby understood that in case of offense against the laws, by a Consul or a Vice-Consul, the authority over the territory to which they are commissioned may, according to circumstances, withdraw their exequatur, send them away from the country, or have them punished in conformity with the relevant laws or customs, assigning to the other CONTRACTING PARTY its reasons for so doing.
Subsection III.
The archives and papers belonging to the Consulates shall be respected inviolably, and under no pretext whatever shall any magistrate, or other functionary, visit, seize, or in any way interfere with them.

Article XIII.

In all that relates to the importation, exportation, and transit of their respective products, the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES shall treat each other, reciprocally, as the most favoured Nation, Union of Nations, State, or Society, as explained in the following Articles.

Article XIV.

The HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES shall not impose any higher or other duties upon the importation, exportation, or transit of the natural or industrial products of each other than are or shall be payable upon like items produced by any other nation not embraced within its current or future limits.

Article XV.

In order the more effectually to attain the object contemplated in Article VIII, the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES hereby engage not to grant any favour in commerce to any Nation, Union of Nations, State, or Society, which shall not immediately be enjoyed by the other CONTRACTING PARTY.

Article XVI.

The territories of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES shall remain open to the admission of items arriving from the territories of the other; no port of either CONTRACTING PARTY shall be closed to items arriving from the other, provided they are conveyed in vessels flying the flag of the relevant HIGH CONTRACTING PARTY or of one of the nations most favored by them; under any other flag, merchandise originating from one of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES shall be treated as the merchandise of the country to which the vessel belongs and subjected to the relevant duties.
Subsection I.
In case of ship-wreck and of salvage on the coasts of either of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES of merchandise belonging to the other CONTRACTING PARTY, such shall be respected and treated as that belonging to citizens of said CONTRACTING PARTY.
Subsection II.
It is hereby understood that no stipulation of the present Article shall in any manner interfere with those of the three foregoing Articles, nor with the measures which have been or shall be adopted by either of the contracting countries in the interest of public morality, security or order.

Article XVII.

The HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, on official request being made by one through the medium of their respective Diplomatic or Consular Agents to the other, shall deliver up to Justice persons who, being charged with crimes enumerated in the following Article committed within the jurisdiction of the requiring PARTY, shall seek asylum or shall be found within the territories of the other: Provided— That this shall be done only when the fact of the commission of the crime shall be so established as to justify their apprehension and extradition.

Article XVIII.

Persons shall be delivered up, according to the provisions of this Treaty, who shall be charged with any of the following crimes, to wit;
Murder, (including assassination, patricide, infanticide, and poisoning;)
Attempt to commit murder;
Rape;
Forgery, or the emission of forged papers;
Arson;
Robbery with violence, intimidation, or forcible entry of an inhabited house;
Piracy;
Embezzlement by public officers, or by persons hired or salaried, to the detriment of their employers.

Article XIX.

On the part of Sidara, the extradition shall be made only by the authority of the Bhaenrhig, and on the part of Cethos, by that of the Matra Prunak.

Article XX.

The expenses of detention and delivery, effected in virtue of the preceding Articles, shall be at the cost of the PARTY making the demand.

Article XXI.

The provisions of the foregoing Articles, relating to the Surrender of Fugitive Criminals, shall not apply to offenses committed before the date hereof, or to those of a political character.

Article XXII.

This Treaty comes into force immediately upon its ratification and shall remain in force for a term of ten- (10-) years.
Unless one of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES has given notice a year before the expiration of the ten- (10-) year term, of its desire to terminate the Treaty, it shall remain valid indefinitely, each of the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES being able to terminate its operation by giving notice to that effect one year in advance.

In faith whereof the Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Treaty and affixed their seals to it.
Done at Isle Taobh-Amuigh, the Fourth (4th) of Tymhoris, 1910, corresponding to the Fifth (5th) of January, 1910, in two copies, each one in the Sidaric and Cethosid languages, both texts being equally authoritative.

[X] Name and Titles of the Relevant Cethosi Representative to be Disclosed in the Official Draft
[X] Her Grace's Cynghyrd of Foreign Affairs, Vercin Gator of Clan Laird-Aujvint
Kho Member

Status

Recent Statuses

Bio

Most Recent Posts
